Madison, Wisconsin, Trip Guide

This university-anchored city gets an extra dose of sophistication from its role as state capital. Lakes and a famous market encourage outdoor fun. Check out our picks for what to do, where to eat and where to stay in Madison.

Capitol City Food Tours Consume calories and burn 'em on a three-hour, 11/2-mile tour that covers five stops. Guides hat about Madison's history while guests sample sweets, savories and suds. capitalcityfoodtours.com[3]

Chazen Museum of Art The building is a work of art. Galleries display African, Asian and 21st- century international works. chazen.wisc.edu[4]

Dane County Farmers Market The nation’s oldest farmers market is also the country’s largest producer-only market, with 280 vendors selling produce, flowers, meats and more on Capitol Square. dcfm.org[5]

Horicon Marsh Considered one of the nation’s top birding spots, the marsh sits an hour northeast of Madison. Split into state and federal wildlife refuges, the 33,000-acre preserve harbors an estimated 300,000 birds every spring and fall. Nearly 300 species have been sighted, including the rare trumpeter swan and yellow-billed cuckoo. horiconmarsh.org[6]

Lake Monona See it from a Betty Lou motor yacht during a Champagne brunch cruise or from a bike on trails that pass lakes Monona and Mendota. dnr.wi.gov[7]

Madison Museum of Contemporary Art The airy Overture Building near the Capitol houses more than 20,000 pieces of modern art, some in a rooftop garden. mmoca.org[8]

Madison Museum of Contemporary Art

Madison Trust for Historic Preservation Walking Tours Participate in a brisk, hour-long introduction to the history and architecture of town. madisonpreservation.org[9]

Monona Terrace Tours and an exhibit address the controversy around the building of this Frank Lloyd Wright-designed convention center on Lake Monona. mononaterrace.com[10]

Monroe Street Indie shops and restaurants line a 1½-mile stretch west of downtown. shopmonroestreet.com[11]

National Mustard Museum Exhibits and video make a quirky yet classy homage to ketchup’s counterpart, 7 miles west of Madison in Middleton. mustardmuseum.com[12]

Dotty’s Dumpling’s Dowry Dotty’s claim to be the world hamburger headquarters gets lots of support from the char-grilled, out-of-this-world burgers. dottydumplingsdowry.com[23]

Dotty’s Dumpling’s Dowry

Estrellon Enjoy a leisurely parade of tapas from James Beard Award-winning chef Tory Miller. Then cap the evening with a Basque cake that seems to change flavors and textures with every bite. estrellonrestaurant.com[24]

Harvest The menu follows the seasons at this upscale favorite. Check the website for themed monthly Sunday dinners. harvest-restaurant.com[27]

Heritage Tavern Pork stars here (the chef breeds his own heritage hogs), right down to the vintage boar-theme dinnerwhere. The braised pork and tuna platter includes pork shoulder, tuna sashimi and headcheese. heritagetavern.com[28]

Ian's Pizza This eatery on State Street cemented its reputation selling pizza by the slice (and opened satellite shops in Chicago's Wrigleyville neighborhood and in Milwaukee). Patrons gobble up its top-selling mac 'n' cheese pizza. ianspizza.com[29]

L’Etoile Fine dining about as fine as it gets. A mere canapé of rosemary shortbread with raspberry crème fraîche and chives made us swoon. letoile-restaurant.com[30]

Marigold Kitchen Heaping platters of brioche French toast and pancakes fuel whatever plans you have for the day. marigoldkitchen.com[31]

Merchant Restaurant Like its cocktails crafted by mixologists, Merchant mixes the best of food and fun: It’s a restaurant, bar, grocer, butcher and night club all in one. merchantmadison.com[32]